"felicity" meaning in English

See felicity in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /fɪˈlɪsɪti/ [Received-Pronunciation], /fəˈlɪsəti/ [General-American], [-ɾi] [General-American] Audio: En-us-felicity.ogg Forms: felicities [plural]
Rhymes: -ɪsɪti Etymology: From Middle English felicite (“bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position”) [and other forms], borrowed from Old French felicité (modern French félicité (“bliss, happiness; felicity”)), from Latin fēlīcitātem, the accusative singular of fēlīcitās (“fertility, fruitfulness; happiness, felicity; good fortune; success”), from fēlix (“happy; blessed, fortunate, lucky; fertile, fruitful; prosperous; auspicious, favourable”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to nurse, suckle”)) + -itās (a variant of -tās (suffix forming nouns indicating a state of being)). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*dʰeh₁(y)-}}, {{inh|en|enm|felicite|t=bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position}} Middle English felicite (“bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position”), {{nb...|felicitee, felicyte, felycite, felycitee, felycyte|otherforms=1}} [and other forms], {{der|en|fro|felicité}} Old French felicité, {{cog|fr|félicité|t=bliss, happiness; felicity}} French félicité (“bliss, happiness; felicity”), {{der|en|la|fēlīcitātem}} Latin fēlīcitātem, {{glossary|accusative}} accusative, {{glossary|singular}} singular, {{der|en|ine-pro|*dʰeh₁(y)-|t=to nurse, suckle}} Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to nurse, suckle”), {{glossary|suffix}} suffix Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} felicity (countable and uncountable, plural felicities)
  1. (uncountable) Happiness; (countable) an instance of this. Tags: uncountable Categories (topical): Happiness Synonyms: joy, mirth, happiness
    Sense id: en-felicity-en-noun-fBRZlw2T Disambiguation of Happiness: 71 1 6 1 20
  2. (uncountable) An apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.; (countable) an apt and pleasing choice of words. Tags: uncountable Translations (apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.): 得體 /得体 (détǐ) (Chinese Mandarin), feliĉego (Esperanto), félicité [feminine] (French), ευδαιμονία (evdaimonía) [feminine] (Greek), felicità [feminine] (Italian), у́месност (úmesnost) [feminine] (Macedonian), соо́дветност (soódvetnost) [feminine] (Macedonian), felicidade [feminine] (Portuguese), felicidad (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-felicity-en-noun-Z~NANbYq Disambiguation of 'apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.': 2 80 4 1 14
  3. (uncountable, rare) Good luck; success; (countable) An instance of unexpected good luck; a stroke of luck; also, a lucky characteristic. Tags: rare, uncountable
    Sense id: en-felicity-en-noun-JOFxpBgS Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Esperanto translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Macedonian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Spanish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 10 6 58 8 18 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 8 5 71 4 11 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 8 5 61 6 20 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 6 4 66 4 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Esperanto translations: 12 8 61 5 15 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 13 9 56 6 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 15 7 46 14 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 9 7 64 5 14 Disambiguation of Terms with Macedonian translations: 17 9 52 7 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 13 8 52 11 17 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 15 12 49 6 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 11 7 61 5 16
  4. (uncountable, semiotics) Reproduction of a sign with fidelity. Tags: uncountable Categories (topical): Semiotics
    Sense id: en-felicity-en-noun-LUO-L6uQ Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences, semiotics
  5. (countable) Something that is either a source of happiness or particularly apt. Tags: countable
    Sense id: en-felicity-en-noun-XD6ZVwVV
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: felicitous, felicitously, infelicity Related terms: felicific, felicificability, felicificative, felicitate, felicitation, felicitator

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicitous"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicitously"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "infelicity"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dʰeh₁(y)-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "felicite",
        "t": "bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English felicite (“bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "felicitee, felicyte, felycite, felycitee, felycyte",
        "otherforms": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[and other forms]",
      "name": "nb..."
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "felicité"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French felicité",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "félicité",
        "t": "bliss, happiness; felicity"
      },
      "expansion": "French félicité (“bliss, happiness; felicity”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "fēlīcitātem"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin fēlīcitātem",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "accusative"
      },
      "expansion": "accusative",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "singular"
      },
      "expansion": "singular",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dʰeh₁(y)-",
        "t": "to nurse, suckle"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to nurse, suckle”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "glossary"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English felicite (“bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position”) [and other forms], borrowed from Old French felicité (modern French félicité (“bliss, happiness; felicity”)), from Latin fēlīcitātem, the accusative singular of fēlīcitās (“fertility, fruitfulness; happiness, felicity; good fortune; success”), from fēlix (“happy; blessed, fortunate, lucky; fertile, fruitful; prosperous; auspicious, favourable”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to nurse, suckle”)) + -itās (a variant of -tās (suffix forming nouns indicating a state of being)).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "felicities",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "felicity (countable and uncountable, plural felicities)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "fe‧li‧ci‧ty"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicific"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicificability"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicificative"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicitate"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicitation"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "felicitator"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "infelicity"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "71 1 6 1 20",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Happiness",
          "orig": "en:Happiness",
          "parents": [
            "Emotions",
            "Mind",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1513, Henry Bradshaw, edited by Edward Hawkins, The Holy Lyfe and History of Saynt Werburge: Very Frutefull for All Christen People to Rede (Remains Historical & Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester Published by The Chetham Society; volume XV), […] The Chetham Society, published 1848:",
          "text": "Whan this ſayd monument diſcouered was / Suche a ſuauite and fragrant odoure / Aſcended from the corps by ſingular grace / Paſſyng all worldly ſwetnes and ſauour / That all there present that day and hour / Suppoſed they had ben / in the felicite / Of erthely paradiſe / without ambiguite.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 3:",
          "text": "[T]he wiſe Man gave his Teſtimony to this, as the juſt Standard of true Felicity, when he prayed to have neither Poverty nor Riches.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Mansfield Park: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 2:",
          "text": "[…] Mr. and Mrs. Norris began their career of conjugal felicity with very little less than a thousand a year.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1862, M[arcus] Aurelius Antoninus [i.e., Marcus Aurelius], “Book V”, in George Long, transl., The Thoughts of the Emperor M. Aurelius Antoninus, London: Bell and Daldy, […], →OCLC, page 66:",
          "text": "For two reasons then it is right to be content with that which happens to thee; the one, because it was done for thee and prescribed for thee, and in a manner had reference to thee, originally from the most ancient causes spun with thy destiny; and the other, because even that which comes severally to every man is to the power which administers the universe a cause of felicity and perfection, nay even of its very continuance.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Happiness; (countable) an instance of this."
      ],
      "id": "en-felicity-en-noun-fBRZlw2T",
      "links": [
        [
          "Happiness",
          "happiness"
        ],
        [
          "instance",
          "instance#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) Happiness; (countable) an instance of this."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "joy"
        },
        {
          "word": "mirth"
        },
        {
          "word": "happiness"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "An apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.; (countable) an apt and pleasing choice of words."
      ],
      "id": "en-felicity-en-noun-Z~NANbYq",
      "links": [
        [
          "apt",
          "apt"
        ],
        [
          "pleasing",
          "pleasing#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "style",
          "style#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "speech",
          "speech"
        ],
        [
          "writing",
          "writing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "choice",
          "choice"
        ],
        [
          "words",
          "word#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) An apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.; (countable) an apt and pleasing choice of words."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "détǐ",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "word": "得體 /得体"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "word": "feliĉego"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "félicité"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "evdaimonía",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "ευδαιμονία"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "felicità"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "úmesnost",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "у́месност"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "soódvetnost",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "соо́дветност"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "felicidade"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 80 4 1 14",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
          "word": "felicidad"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "10 6 58 8 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 5 71 4 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 5 61 6 20",
          "kind": "other",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "6 4 66 4 20",
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        {
          "_dis": "12 8 61 5 15",
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          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 9 56 6 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 7 46 14 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
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        {
          "_dis": "9 7 64 5 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Italian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 9 52 7 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Macedonian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 8 52 11 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 12 49 6 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 7 61 5 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Good luck; success; (countable) An instance of unexpected good luck; a stroke of luck; also, a lucky characteristic."
      ],
      "id": "en-felicity-en-noun-JOFxpBgS",
      "links": [
        [
          "Good luck",
          "good luck#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "success",
          "success"
        ],
        [
          "unexpected",
          "unexpected"
        ],
        [
          "stroke of luck",
          "stroke of luck"
        ],
        [
          "lucky",
          "lucky"
        ],
        [
          "characteristic",
          "characteristic#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable, rare) Good luck; success; (countable) An instance of unexpected good luck; a stroke of luck; also, a lucky characteristic."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Semiotics",
          "orig": "en:Semiotics",
          "parents": [
            "Linguistics",
            "Social sciences",
            "Language",
            "Sciences",
            "Society",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The quotation was rendered with felicity.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Reproduction of a sign with fidelity."
      ],
      "id": "en-felicity-en-noun-LUO-L6uQ",
      "links": [
        [
          "semiotics",
          "semiotics"
        ],
        [
          "Reproduction",
          "reproduction"
        ],
        [
          "sign",
          "sign#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "fidelity",
          "fidelity"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable, semiotics) Reproduction of a sign with fidelity."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences",
        "semiotics"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii:",
          "text": "[…] to weare our ſelues & neuer reſt,\nUntill we reach the ripeſt fruites of all,\nThat perfect bliſſe and ſole felicitie,\nThe ſweet fruition of an earthly crowne.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007 August 7, Joshua Ferris, “Table for two”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-12-25:",
          "text": "The season’s main attraction, the felicities of the sun, dimmed in the light of our competition and our growing friendliness.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Something that is either a source of happiness or particularly apt."
      ],
      "id": "en-felicity-en-noun-XD6ZVwVV",
      "links": [
        [
          "source",
          "source#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "particularly",
          "particularly"
        ],
        [
          "apt",
          "apt"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) Something that is either a source of happiness or particularly apt."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/fɪˈlɪsɪti/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/fəˈlɪsəti/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-ɾi]",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-felicity.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/6a/En-us-felicity.ogg/En-us-felicity.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/En-us-felicity.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪsɪti"
    }
  ],
  "word": "felicity"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old French",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *dʰeh₁(y)-",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of French translations",
    "Requests for review of Italian translations",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪsɪti",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪsɪti/4 syllables",
    "Terms with Esperanto translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Macedonian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "en:Happiness"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "felicitous"
    },
    {
      "word": "felicitously"
    },
    {
      "word": "infelicity"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
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      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "felicite",
        "t": "bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English felicite (“bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position”)",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "felicitee, felicyte, felycite, felycitee, felycyte",
        "otherforms": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "[and other forms]",
      "name": "nb..."
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "felicité"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French felicité",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fr",
        "2": "félicité",
        "t": "bliss, happiness; felicity"
      },
      "expansion": "French félicité (“bliss, happiness; felicity”)",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "fēlīcitātem"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin fēlīcitātem",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "accusative"
      },
      "expansion": "accusative",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "singular"
      },
      "expansion": "singular",
      "name": "glossary"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dʰeh₁(y)-",
        "t": "to nurse, suckle"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to nurse, suckle”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "suffix"
      },
      "expansion": "suffix",
      "name": "glossary"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English felicite (“bliss, happiness, joy; delight, pleasure; a source of happiness; good fortune; prosperity; well-being; of a planet: in an influential position”) [and other forms], borrowed from Old French felicité (modern French félicité (“bliss, happiness; felicity”)), from Latin fēlīcitātem, the accusative singular of fēlīcitās (“fertility, fruitfulness; happiness, felicity; good fortune; success”), from fēlix (“happy; blessed, fortunate, lucky; fertile, fruitful; prosperous; auspicious, favourable”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to nurse, suckle”)) + -itās (a variant of -tās (suffix forming nouns indicating a state of being)).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "felicities",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "felicity (countable and uncountable, plural felicities)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "fe‧li‧ci‧ty"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "felicific"
    },
    {
      "word": "felicificability"
    },
    {
      "word": "felicificative"
    },
    {
      "word": "felicitate"
    },
    {
      "word": "felicitation"
    },
    {
      "word": "felicitator"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "infelicity"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English uncountable nouns"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1513, Henry Bradshaw, edited by Edward Hawkins, The Holy Lyfe and History of Saynt Werburge: Very Frutefull for All Christen People to Rede (Remains Historical & Literary Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester Published by The Chetham Society; volume XV), […] The Chetham Society, published 1848:",
          "text": "Whan this ſayd monument diſcouered was / Suche a ſuauite and fragrant odoure / Aſcended from the corps by ſingular grace / Paſſyng all worldly ſwetnes and ſauour / That all there present that day and hour / Suppoſed they had ben / in the felicite / Of erthely paradiſe / without ambiguite.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 3:",
          "text": "[T]he wiſe Man gave his Teſtimony to this, as the juſt Standard of true Felicity, when he prayed to have neither Poverty nor Riches.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Mansfield Park: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 2:",
          "text": "[…] Mr. and Mrs. Norris began their career of conjugal felicity with very little less than a thousand a year.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1862, M[arcus] Aurelius Antoninus [i.e., Marcus Aurelius], “Book V”, in George Long, transl., The Thoughts of the Emperor M. Aurelius Antoninus, London: Bell and Daldy, […], →OCLC, page 66:",
          "text": "For two reasons then it is right to be content with that which happens to thee; the one, because it was done for thee and prescribed for thee, and in a manner had reference to thee, originally from the most ancient causes spun with thy destiny; and the other, because even that which comes severally to every man is to the power which administers the universe a cause of felicity and perfection, nay even of its very continuance.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Happiness; (countable) an instance of this."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Happiness",
          "happiness"
        ],
        [
          "instance",
          "instance#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) Happiness; (countable) an instance of this."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "joy"
        },
        {
          "word": "mirth"
        },
        {
          "word": "happiness"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English uncountable nouns"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.; (countable) an apt and pleasing choice of words."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "apt",
          "apt"
        ],
        [
          "pleasing",
          "pleasing#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "style",
          "style#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "speech",
          "speech"
        ],
        [
          "writing",
          "writing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "choice",
          "choice"
        ],
        [
          "words",
          "word#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable) An apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.; (countable) an apt and pleasing choice of words."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English terms with rare senses",
        "English uncountable nouns"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Good luck; success; (countable) An instance of unexpected good luck; a stroke of luck; also, a lucky characteristic."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Good luck",
          "good luck#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "success",
          "success"
        ],
        [
          "unexpected",
          "unexpected"
        ],
        [
          "stroke of luck",
          "stroke of luck"
        ],
        [
          "lucky",
          "lucky"
        ],
        [
          "characteristic",
          "characteristic#Noun"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable, rare) Good luck; success; (countable) An instance of unexpected good luck; a stroke of luck; also, a lucky characteristic."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "rare",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English uncountable nouns",
        "en:Semiotics"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The quotation was rendered with felicity.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Reproduction of a sign with fidelity."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "semiotics",
          "semiotics"
        ],
        [
          "Reproduction",
          "reproduction"
        ],
        [
          "sign",
          "sign#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "fidelity",
          "fidelity"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(uncountable, semiotics) Reproduction of a sign with fidelity."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "sciences",
        "semiotics"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii:",
          "text": "[…] to weare our ſelues & neuer reſt,\nUntill we reach the ripeſt fruites of all,\nThat perfect bliſſe and ſole felicitie,\nThe ſweet fruition of an earthly crowne.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007 August 7, Joshua Ferris, “Table for two”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2020-12-25:",
          "text": "The season’s main attraction, the felicities of the sun, dimmed in the light of our competition and our growing friendliness.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Something that is either a source of happiness or particularly apt."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "source",
          "source#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "particularly",
          "particularly"
        ],
        [
          "apt",
          "apt"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(countable) Something that is either a source of happiness or particularly apt."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/fɪˈlɪsɪti/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/fəˈlɪsəti/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[-ɾi]",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-felicity.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/6a/En-us-felicity.ogg/En-us-felicity.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/En-us-felicity.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪsɪti"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "détǐ",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "word": "得體 /得体"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "word": "feliĉego"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "félicité"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "evdaimonía",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "ευδαιμονία"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "felicità"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "úmesnost",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "у́месност"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "soódvetnost",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "соо́дветност"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "felicidade"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "apt and pleasing style in speech, writing, etc.",
      "word": "felicidad"
    }
  ],
  "word": "felicity"
}

Download raw JSONL data for felicity meaning in English (10.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (eaedd02 and 8fbd9e8). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.